Stretch film or wrap is generally known in the industry as a material that can be used to securely wrap a collection of objects together using the stretch material's resiliency and dinginess. Stretch wrap is typically understood to be a polyethylene stretch film that is generally dispensed from a roll form for use in a variety of applications. For instance, stretch wrap is held against a collection of objects and dispensed and stretched around the collection of objects and wrapped over itself up to several times to cover and hold together the collection of objects. In the shipping industry, for example, a collection of materials may be placed on a pallet to secure such articles together during the shipping process. A collection of boxes placed on a pallet can be shipped as a single cohesive unit when bound together through wrapping with stretch wrap. Other applications of stretch wrap are known such as wrapping agricultural products or simply binding together a collection of items.
Although such usages for stretch wrap are well known and documented, the amount of stretch wrap used in any given application can be extensive. For example, for an industrial supplier that ships large numbers of pallets of materials out on a consistent basis, a large inventory of stretch wrap must be maintained to facilitate the regular shipment of such products. For example, a large amount of stretch film may be necessary to wrap a given pallet of materials.
Typically, during application, a tension is applied to the stretch film as it is applied to the objects being wrapped. This tension stretches the film to facilitate a secure binding of the wrapped objects together, and this tension process also both strengthens the stretch film and allows for the use of less film. One known device includes an idler roller that engages and rotates with the stretch wrap as it is pulled from its roll. The idler roller facilitates stretching of the wrap along its length due to the tension on the film. The roller also generally maintains the film's flat shape as it engages the object around which it is being wrapped. Although this stretch is advantageous, further stretch and strength is still desirable. Another known approach is to stretch the stretch wrap with tension in the long direction while holding the sides of the stretch wrap to reduce narrowing. Such an approach is largely done through complex and expensive machinery.
Another common application for stretch film is the containment and shipment of agricultural products where these products need to be ventilated to avoid spoilage or for evaporation of water. Current applications use stretch film that has holes cut into the film to allow the film to breath. This process is either done in-line during the manufacturing of the stretch film with expensive equipment or done off line as a secondary operation using expensive equipment to wind, perforate, and then rewind the film. Another known approach includes gathering the stretch film into ropes or strings after dispensing. For example, a dispensed stretch film can be cut into individual sections that are then individually gathered into strings that can be used for securing packaged items. This roping or stringing process, however, can be complicated by uneven dispensing of the stretch film from its roll, resulting in uneven cutting of the film or jamming of the film at the cutting device.